![]() President Biden has characterized this cooperative initiative as extending as far as it serves American interests, a fairly standard expression of US foreign policy. It is worth noting in this connection that, so far, President Biden has not lifted any of former President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods, even though they are more likely symbolic than providing any real leverage.Īnother leg is cooperation in areas of mutual interest, with climate change being a potential area of shared work. One leg is confrontation, with Taiwan, human rights and South China Sea incursions all being flash points. It is rising as an economic power its military budgets are growing significantly its Belt and Road Initiative has extended its influence into Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America and its “Made in China 2025” campaign threatens to make China the dominant player on a host of next-generation technologies.įoreign policy experts portray the needed US-China policy as a three-legged stool. Little seems likely to change as long as Russian President Vladimir Putin remains in control.Ĭhina poses a threat of a very different sort. No real alternative, however, seems available unless there can be progress on the overarching issue of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Sanctions have been the weapon of choice in recent US administrations, to little effect. America has long faced tensions with Russia over election interference, cyber attacks, Ukraine and human rights, the latter embodied most recently in Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment. Russia poses a different kind of challenge. Though the last two have the most risk of armed conflict, there is little the United States can do about that risk unilaterally, and President Biden’s signal of an openness to dialogue may be all that can be done for now. The main adversaries requiring the Biden administration’s immediate attention are China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. One thing seems certain: it will have to be pragmatic and involve compromise. Returning to the status quo pre-2016 is no longer possible, but what cooperation is possible going forward remains to be seen. Asian alliances may be easier to rekindle because many Asian countries feel the growing pressures of a rising China, but they also can be expected to resist a foreign policy that asks them to choose between the United States and China.Ĭonsequently, restoring strong relations with major allies and foreign powers may prove murkier and more hesitant than President Biden may have hoped. He has rejoined the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate agreement and signaled openness to rejoining the nuclear deal with Iran.Ī bump in this road, however, is that European allies in particular have become more skeptical of American reliability. ![]() President Biden, both verbally and symbolically, has sent the message that he sees America stronger working with allies than going it alone. Reinforcing this inclination is a major lesson from the pandemic: the wooly mix of governmental policies on lockdowns, reopenings, mask mandates and social distancing did less to curb the COVID pandemic than rapid development and deployment of vaccines under a public-private collaboration. How much spending will be earmarked for these goals, and how that spending will be structured, most likely will have to be shaped by centrist Republicans and Democrats to pass the Senate. The major test for bipartisanship will be policies to strengthen the economy, including investing in infrastructure, social justice measures and a national competitiveness strategy. Progressive Democrat proposals likely will continue to be introduced, but President Biden seems to understand that any legislation that cannot be passed under “reconciliation” rules will have to be bipartisan. The potential influence of the “Problem Solvers” caucus - now 28 members from each party - strengthens the voices for moderation in the House, as will the apparent economic recovery already underway. Even though the COVID relief bill passed Congress on party line votes, Democrat Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia forced several moderating amendments, voiced his opposition to ending the filibuster and signaled his desire for more bipartisanship. 6 invasion of the US Capitol by what the FBI labeled as “domestic terrorists” highlighted the dangers of leaning to extremes, right or left. Other factors, however, may push the federal government in a different direction over time. ![]() A number of President Biden’s early executive orders and his $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill seem to further that agenda. Progressives within that party see this as an opportunity to move an extensive liberal agenda.
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